History

The Vanniyars known as Pallis became soldiers and commanders during the medieval Pallava rule came to be known as Padayatchis.[1] Padayatchi also were known to possess an army of their own and this is evident from the inscriptions mentioning some pallis as "Nalyayiravan" (head of an army consisting of 4000 soldiers). Some Padayatchis retained their rule as chieftains and Poligars after the downfall of the Tamil kings.[2]

The Kachirayars of Vilandai and Mukasa parur are related to padayatchis. Only the Padayatchis have different caste titles. Vanniya Gounders or Vanniya Nayakars were known to have "Gounder" and "Nayakar" title respectively.

Some Padayatchis in Vallambadugai near Chidambaram have the caste title "vanatharayar" which is sometimes attributed to their root from Vaanar Kulam. Note that in the history based novel Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki, Vandhiyathevan is described to be an offspring of Vaanar. In a village called Vatharayanthethu near the Chidambaram town we find Padayatchis with titles like Gnaniyar, Pidariyar, Thondavarayar. Some Padayatchis in Chidambaram area have the caste title Padayandavar. Notable among them include Devadas Padayandavar who is an Ex-MLA from Chidambaram. Some Padayatchis in Buthangudi village near Sethiyathope were known as sethiyars.[3]. In the southern districts of Tamilnadu like Tirunelveli, Nagercoil the Paravars are also using the title Padayatchiers.

Padayatchis in turn use different titles such as Udayar, Thevar, Nainar, Pidariyar including Padayatchi title, which proves that they form a separate class. In the denotified list they are not mentioned as Vanniyars but Padayatchis which proves that it is more than a caste title. Nowhere in the Tamil Nadu backward classes list will you find the name Padayatchi among the non-Vanniyars. Most of the caste titles of the Vanniyars belong to the Padayatchis. If Padayatchi is merely a caste title then why do they use another title? They form a section among the Vanniyars.

Most of the Vanniyar Poligars (Palayakarar) were related to Padayatchis. There is a book called "padayatchi Pattapeyar Manjari" which mentions the different caste titles used by the Padayatchis. So when we say Padayatchi it naturally refers to a Vanniyar. Also a book called "sasana Tamil Manjari" refers to padayatchis. When the Chola rule started to decline the army commanders and ministers took the administration and formed their own rule. See the content of the book with the line "sanjala saritha naatinar manthirikumarar Padayatchigal". It may be a caste title to some other communities but it is a class and also a title for Vanniyars.

The life of the great Kadava ruler Kopperunjinga[4] is a good example for this proverb. They were hunters during ancient times and became land owners and farmers only after they became soldiers and commanders.[5]

A kadavaraya inscription found in Srimushnam in South Arcot registers remission of padikaval and other levies due to the donor from the devadana lands, for worship to the god at Tirumuttam in Vilandai-kurram, a subdivision of Merka-nadu Irungolappadi in Virudarajabhayankara-valanadu by Alappirandan Elisaimogan alias Kulottungasolak-Kadavarayan, a Palli having the kani-right in Urumur alias Solapandya-chaturvedimangalam alias Erumbur, for the merit of himself and his family.

This is the caste name of Vanniya kula Kshatriyas. Though this one is found as a title in some other castes too "Padayatchi" aptly refers to a large population of the Vanniyar or Palli Caste. In many parts of Tamil Nadu it is only the Vanniyars who were mentioned and called as Padayatchis.

Known divisions among Padayatchis

The Padayatchis had some internal divisions too which is not found among the rest of the Vanniyar caste. Some divisions are: Arasu, Pandal, Anju Naal,Kandar, and Panirendu naal.Jayamkondar angarayar kaggayam sub division name in vattathur village ie 20 km chidhambaram it is not sub caste,its like kuttam in kongu villala caste ie with in the division peoples are brothers and sisters

The distinct difference for padaiyatchi is that they have separate god for their clan("kula deivam") like warrior gods like karrupu , muniswamy,iyannar. One of the very important Kula deivam of Vallampadugai Padayatchi is Arulmigu Angala Parameswari. In Cuddalore ,Pondicherry area important Kula deivam for Padayaatchi is Arulmigu Muttaala Amman. Some other Kula Deivams of Padayatchi Caste are Periyandichi (Female God), periandavar (Male God), Muniyappan.

Padayatchi today

In some places like Ariyalur and in parts of Tanjore districts the Padayatchis still have marriage relations with Padayatchis only. Nowadays Padayatchis are found to marry among other Vanniyar divisions too. In Panruti taluk of cuddalore dist vanniyars called as padayatchi,they have surnames as sempirayar, samarthiyaar,thennavaraya,mazhavarayar, nayinaar etc here. This is because of the fact that all belong to one (Palli or Vanniyar) caste. They are now rapidly progressing. In politics too they have a significant role.

Notable Vanniyars:

வன்னியர் அரச குலங்கள் / Vanniyar Dynasties

சோழர் / Cholas Dynasty

பல்லவர் / Pallavas Dynasty

காடவர் / Kadava Dynasty

மழவர் / Mazhavar Dynasty

மலையமான் / Malayaman Dynasty

சம்புவராயர் /Sambuvaraya Dynasty

அதியமார் / Athiyaman Dynasty

வன்னிய அரசர்கள் / Vanniyar Kings

ராஜ ராஜ சோழன் / The Great Raja Raja Cholan (or) Arul Mozhi Varman

ராஜேந்திர சோழன் / Rajendra Cholan

குலோத்துங்க சோழன் / Kulothunga Cholan

மகேந்திர வர்மன் (பல்லவர்) / Mahindra Varman

போதிதர்மன் (பல்லவர்) - / Bodhidharma

நரசிம்ம வர்மன் / Narasimma Varman

குலசேகர வர்மன் / Kulashekara Varman - founder of chera dynasty

கருணாகர தொண்டைமான் / Karunakara Thondaiman

காடவராய கோப்பெருருஞ்சிகன் /Kadavaraya Kopperunchigan

எதிரிள்ளி சோழ சம்புவராயர் / Ethirilli Chola Sambuvaraya

அதியமான் நெடுமான் அஞ்சி / Adhiyaman Neduman Anchi

திருகோவிலூர் மலையமான் / Thirukovilur Malayaman

வள்ளால மகாராஜா / Vallala Maharaja

பண்டார வன்னியன் / Pandara Vanniyan

City Founders

Chennappa Naicker - Founder of Chennai City, Donated his land to British